Sharon Fire(s)Two Ministers Ahead of Vote

[phoebe]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4165405,00.html

snip

JERUSALEM (AP) - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided Thursday to fire two hard-line government ministers, officials said, a move that would give him a slim Cabinet majority for his Gaza withdrawal plan.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sharon called the two ministers of the far-right National Union Party, Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon, to his office Friday to deliver the dismissal notices. They would take effect in 48 hours, before the crucial Cabinet session Sunday.

Cabinet minister Tsipi Livni, working on a compromise, said the prime minister rejected her latest proposal late Thursday but that she was still trying. In the past, negotiations to avert dismissals and resignations have continued until just before they were to take effect, and often crises were averted at the 11th hour.

Earlier Thursday, Sharon pledged to bring his pullout plan to a Cabinet vote on Sunday even though he has no guarantee it will pass.

apologies if already posted

[The Magistrate]

1. These Two Wretches

Ought never to have been in any national cabinet in the first place....

[Leilani]

2. Sharon is as good for Israel

as Bush is for the U.S.

[geek tragedy]

3. Indeed.

Change a few details of their lives, and they'd be in Guantanamo.

[Darranar]

4. Hopefully...

this will lead to a collapse of Sharon's government, and new elections resulting in a downfall.

Two - or, rather, three - birds with one stone.